Sports Minister Kenson Casimir stressed the urgent need to establish a Sports Policy to advance the island’s athletes. He also called for increased corporate sector support for this initiative.
Casimir highlighted the government’s commitment to rehabilitating 12 sports facilities on the island and allocating funds for this purpose. He expressed the ministry’s determination to identify and nurture another global track athlete like Saint Lucia’s double Olympic Champion, Julien “Juju” Alfred.
Additionally, the minister outlined plans to upgrade sports facilities across various communities, including installing lights at several locations. He emphasized that these efforts aim to provide opportunities for young athletes to flourish and discover new talent nationwide.
“It means that we have expanded the likelihood of discovering another Julien Alfred,” Casimir declared.
Since Alfred’s remarkable achievement, he noted a growing interest among the island’s young athletes, who eagerly compete to “race each other,” even beyond training sessions. “So, the propensity to discover athletes is expanded exponentially by developing playing fields around the island,” Casimir observed.
The minister stated that upgrades, including the installation of lights, will be undertaken at sports facilities in communities such as Augier, Laborie, Vieux Fort, Grand Riviere, Ciceron, the Vigie Sports Complex, and “the Vigie playing field, being developed with lights and stands …and across the nation.” Additionally, the upgrades will extend to facilities at Canaries, Wenn Playing Field in Mon Repos, and Choiseul.
Casimir added, “So, the length and breadth of Saint Lucia will have facilities available to young athletes to ensure that we discover more of them …and certainly, within the next four to five years, we will be seeing an output of athletes like never before in Saint Lucia, because of those efforts.”
Casimir also announced the removal of VAT on sporting equipment as an incentive to promote sports development in Saint Lucia, aiming to make sporting gear more accessible to athletes and clubs.
Furthermore, he highlighted the establishment of Saint Lucia’s Semi-Professional Football League (SPFL) as a significant step towards sports development on the island. He described the SPFL as another “Feather in the Cap” towards that endeavor.
“So, we can see Semi-Professional matches in more communities, as we continue,” he added. “The Gros Islet playing field is expected to host Blackheart Football for the first time …where this community of 30,000 people used Beausejour before. Now, the Gros Islet Mini Stadium will be available for the Blackheart Football competition in the heart of Gros Islet.”
Overall, the minister stressed the importance of creating suitable sports facilities and emphasized the involvement of the corporate sector in supporting sports development.
Casimir asserted: “So, this is the thrust for how we are going to further develop this country and deal with the scourges that we have in our communities.”
Can Saint Lucia create a ‘Blueprint’ to help nurture young athletes to emulate the exploits of Julien Alfred?
“We could not have been developing a sports policy at a better time,” Casimir noted. “It is the perfect time for usage of that Blueprint to be reflected in that policy …sports development is like a pyramid. At the base of that pyramid is …the participation of as many people as possible.”
The minister continued, “So, the framework for developing sports cannot be clearer than what it is right now. And a huge part of that framework is the involvement of corporate sector organizations.”
Minister Casimir acknowledged the input of enterprises, such as 1st National Bank, who supported Julien from the onset. The local entity has also endorsed the Island Champs “in a big way,” he said. In contrast, other corporate sponsors in the local sports arena have included LUCLEC, Bank of Saint Lucia, and Republic Bank among other backers. He said the authorities must create avenues and incentives to get the corporate sector “to come closer” and support sports development on the island.
He called for a concerted effort to take advantage of the current momentum in sports and secure more financial support for athletes, clubs, organizations, administrators, and coaches in the sports sector.
“This is the most opportune time that we’ve had in sports and we cannot allow for this time just to dissipate and fade away …and the ministry (sports) is ambitious in ensuring that we take advantage of what’s happened to make our case for more financial support,” Casimir said.